Urban Tribe - Loyal Opposition

Urban Tribe - Loyal Opposition
Remember when Planet E used to release records that did more than act as dance floor fodder? Either do I. While Carl Craig was out doing shows with a classical pianist and a dub techno legend, his beloved imprint has been busy pumping out 4/4 club music. No big deal, of course. But it does seem strange to have Craig so interested in pushing things forward elsewhere...and then support the status quo on Planet E.

With this new Urban Tribe release, the label goes some way towards proving that it hasn't lost its ear for the experimental. Sherrard Ingram brings Moodymann, Anthony 'Shake' Shakir and Craig along for the ride on Loyal Opposition, as he has so often done before. This is no downtempo effort, ala 1996's The Collapse of Modern Culture, however. Each track skips along at a furious pace, recalling Ingram's work as DJ Stingray. What Craig and the others seem to bring to the table, though, is elegance. If Aqua Team was like diving into the ocean without a scuba mask, Loyal Opposition is like exploring in a multi-million dollar submarine. The melodies shimmer delightfully, the beats are as round as a top hat dome.